Devil or Saint?
by Valerie Sabrina Verzoe
Summary: Put yourself in Dr. Rachael Roth's shoes: You have just lost one of your twin daughters and the other with superpowers is nearly having a mental breakdown.Then when some old 'friends' appeared, desperately asking for your help,but you hate them.Then what?
1. Chapter 1

It was raining as if God is weeping. Countless droplets of water hit the glass, creating a quiet splashing sound. A little girl with fiery red hair lied on the massive bed. She opened her emerald eyes and stared at her mother, who had a little boy on her lap. "Mummy," she said weakly. "Amelia, you should sleep." She said to her and placed her hand onto the little girl's hand. Her father stood next to her mother and nodded. "Sheesh Edward, I bet you are too old for a lap seat." She smiled then closed her eyes slowly.

"Let's go now, Ed." The father, who was silent for the whole time took the boy by his hand, and walked out of the room. The mother quickly followed, her heels hit the ground and created a knocking sound on the marble ground. The father handed the little boy to a nursemaid. The mother exploded with tears. "Oh Robin," She sobbed as she grasped his arm. "I am so scared that Amelia will…" Then she wept. He placed his arms around her and hugged her. "I know, Star. I am also worried to hell. But we have to meet Dr. Kemp. He is in the living room now." She raised her head and stared at her husband's ocean eyes with her emerald ones. He wiped her tears, and took her by his hand. Together they walked into the living room, where an old man with snowy white hair and thick glasses sat next to the roasting fire. "Mr. Grayson," the old man stood up and shook hands with Robin. "Mrs. Grayson," he nodded at Starfire. "Please Dr. Kemp, how is Amelia now?" Starfire asked anxiously. Dr. Kemp sipped from his coffee. "My condolences, yet there is nothing much I could do to help Amelia. I suspect there is something wrong with her heart. I suggest you consult a cardiologist. They might have some ways to help her… even if that means that she could leave more painlessly." Dr. Kemp shook his head as he spoke each word with a sorrowful tone. "Yet luckily, you are rich enough to consult the best doctors." He opened his leather bag and pulled out a card. "This is the best cardiologist in Jump City, one of the best in the world as I have heard." Robin took the card and stared at the name.

It wrote: 'Dr. R Roth, PhD cardiology, Master surgical, Mater medical. Tel no: xx-xxx-xxx-xxx; Address: 7/F, Saint Matthew's Private Hospital, 2 Oak Road, Maple Ville, Jump City.' "And I should leave now, good day, Mr. and Mrs. Grayson." Dr. Kemp nodded and left. Robin studied the card. "The name seemed so familiar." Starfire stated. Robin had to agree. "Should we go and find the doctor today?" Starfire asked him, he looked at her tearful eyes. "Okay, I will ask Rita to cancel the meeting today." He then walked away to the corridor. Starfire slumped onto the couch and sobbed, the tears fell onto her silk dress. She gritted her teeth. All she could do is to sit here, let her precious daughter suffer and do nothing.

Suddenly she felt an arm around her. Robin was wiping off her tears. "Star, don't cry, I am sure the doctor could help Amelia." She nodded and nudged herself into Robin. He helped her up as they walked to the car. "Please drive us to Saint Matthew's Private Hospital."

As the car drove past the buildings, they remained silent. Starfire stared at the passing views with her sorrowful eyes. Robin stared at her, his wife for the past fifteen years, the woman who bore him a now thirteen year old daughter and a nine year old son. She was one of the most beautiful women he ever knew, but he couldn't do anything to stop her from crying. The car drove in the rain, the rain sweep moved left and right continuously. "Davis, please drive faster." He said in an anxious tone. He couldn't even hesitate to reach out for the slightest ray of hope in front of him. He had to do anything possible.

The car stopped in front of the cold glass doors of the hospital. Robin and Starfire hopped off the car. Immediately they walked into the building hurriedly to the reception counter. There was a black woman sitting in front of the counter. "May I help you sir?" She asked with a slight concern in her voice. "We would like to see Dr. Roth, the cardiologist." Robin said quickly. The woman raised her eyebrow. "She is doing a surgery now, please wait for a while." Then she turned back to her computers. The couple waited impatiently. A second seemed to be an hour. Robin stared at the clock impatiently.

"Pass me the needle and thread," there was silence in the operation room, except for the surgeon who was sweating and sewing the tissues back together. "This should do it." The nurse wiped the sweat off her face. "Now clean up the wounds and send the patient back to his room." She said then walked to the preparation room. She took off her blood covered gloves and tossed them into the bin. She stared at herself into the mirror. Her face was covered with sweat and tiredness. She washed her hands and face. She shook her head and walked out to the corridor.

"Dr. Roth, there are someone waiting to see you. They are in your office," said the receptionist. "They seemed to be very anxious."

"Thanks, Monica." Then she walked to the lift and pressed the 'up' button. In five minutes time she was all silent. Her mind was blank, nothing but emptiness. The door of the lift opened and she stepped in. Slowly she pressed the number seven button. The lift went slowly, and she was not thinking about anything.

The lift stopped, and she walked out to the cold corridors of the cardiology department. "Dr. Roth, the patient is now resting, the anesthetics are fading," said a nurse. She nodded and walked to her office. Slowly she swiped her employee card and opened the door. "Sorry to keep you waiting, I am Dr. Rachael Roth, head of the cardiology department of this hospital." She did not look at the couple that sat on her couch, but walked straightly towards her armchair and sat down. Then she looked up. "Oh, it's you two." She did not look surprised. On the contrary, the couple could not be more shocked.

"Are you…Raven?" Starfire looked at her. "But…how?" Robin's eyes widened. She smiled coldly. "I suppose this is normal." She said, with a disdainful smile on her face. "After all, I can't be a teenage hero forever." She walked to the coffee machine and started to brew a pot of coffee. "So…what brings the Grayson couple, richest of Jump City and the CEO of Wayne Enterprises to my office? Did any of you have a heart attack?" She then laughed coldly. "Rae," Robin called her. She turned and stared coldly. "I prefer you calling me Dr. Roth." She stated. "Please continue."

"It is our daughter, Amelia." Starfire said. "Our family doctor said that he suspected that she had some kind of problem with her heart, and he suggested that we should come and consult you."

"Hmm…interesting, since when did you discovered this problem?" She asked and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"We first thought she was just pale and weak, until this early summer, when she suddenly fainted and lost her pulse. The doctors said she had a heart failure." Robin said to her. Raven nodded. "And you were still not considering in finding a cardiologist?"

"We never thought we needed to," said Starfire. "I wonder why," said Raven, sipping her coffee. "So…when can I go to your house and see this little girl of yours?"

"Anytime," said Robin. Raven said. "I would have to check my schedule," she said with a chilling smile on her face. "I am always busy."

Then she placed two cups of coffee on the coffee table in front of the couple. She took out a thick leather book, and began to flip over. "Hmm, how about…today at midnight?"

"Midnight? Wouldn't that be too late?" Starfire stated. "I think that Amelia should be resting." Raven shook her head and stared at her emerald eyes. "Then maybe you would have to wait until next week, or even next month." She smiled coldly. "As I have told you, I am very busy. I had an appointment with the mayor this afternoon, and I have to attend a meeting tonight," she said. Robin nodded and then stared at a photo frame on her desk. "Who are they?" Raven's face twitched for a second. "They are my daughters, Esmelerda and Caroline." She said coldly. "They are adorable," said Starfire smiling. Raven frowned for a second. "Yes, Esme is a good girl, but Caroline was the most obedient." Then she looked at the old grandfather clock. "It is time for me to go to the mayor's manor. Leave now, please." Robin and Starfire walked to the door. The door shut behind them.

"I bet Raven would help us, Robin." Starfire held Robin's hand, as they sat in their car. "She will help Amelia."

"Hopefully," said Robin. He stared out of the window. He was not sure.

Raven walked into her dormitory apartment. "Esme, I am back." She said. A tall girl walked out of the darkness. She stared at Raven, with her dark violet blue eyes. "Oh, you are back mother." Then she walked to the living room and switched on the television. Raven went to take a shower. The warm water splashed on her body. She stared at the tiles of the bathroom walls. The water blurred her sight. She bit her lip. Tears poured out of her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. Quickly she washed her dark violet hair and her body. Then she dried herself with her towel, and put on a t-shirt and trousers. "Esme, have you finished your homework?" She asked her daughter, sitting on the couch and staring at the television. Esmelerda nodded. Then suddenly she turned and stared at her mother. "Caroline was here, she talked to me." Raven looked at her daughter. "But Esme, Caroline is…dead." Raven said to her, Esmelerda shook her head. "I know, but she came to me. She said that it isn't anyone's fault that she died." Esmelerda stared at her mother. "Not even yours, mother." Raven burst into tears. "She must hate me for being unable to save her." Raven hugged Esmelerda. "I am sorry that I let your sister die, Esme." She cried on Esmelerda's shoulder. Esmelerda hugged her back. "It isn't your fault mother; she doesn't blame you for that." Esmelerda said to her. "You have done everything you could; it is just that…it's her time." Raven shook her head, while Esmelerda stroked her back. "It is not your fault that Caroline got hit by a car. It is not your fault that modern medical technology was not enough to save her." Esmelerda then stood up and passed her mother a piece of tissue. "Now, I will heat up the dinner for you." Esmelerda walked into the kitchen and started to heat up the food. Raven sat there motionless. She was holding the photo of them: Herself, Esmelerda and Caroline.

Esmelerda never smiled. She was the dark one among the twins; she had black hair and dark violet blue eyes. She always dressed herself in black and other dark colors, creating a totally different contrast with her twin sister, Caroline. Caroline was the quiet and timid one. She had black hair and blue ocean eyes. Unlike her sister, she always smiled and wore warm colors. She was the bright one. They were everything that Raven cared in the world, and now, half of here world had collapsed. "Mother, the food is ready." Esmelerda took a plate of spaghetti and placed it on the dinning table. Raven ate that in silence. "I think you should eat faster, because you are having an appointment at midnight tonight." Esmelerda said. Raven took the empty plate to the kitchen sink and washed it. "Yes, and remember to wear more clothes, the weather is turning pretty cold." Esmelerda's eye suddenly flashed white; a black hand appeared, placing a black waterproof coat in front of Raven. "Think you're going to need it, it's still raining." Then she walked to her room. "I am going to bed."

"Good night." Raven smiled at her daughter. Esmelerda disappeared into her room. Raven changed into a blouse and suit trousers and put on the coat. Then she shut and locked the door silently.

Esmelerda sat on her bed, as she stared outside, into the chilling rainy night. A lightning stroked past the pitch dark sky. She sat there emotionlessly, pressing her cold hand onto the cold glass. When Caroline was still alive, she used to be frightened by the lightning and thunder. She would cuddle her in the bed, stroking her black hair and tell her that it is alright.

When Caroline was still alive.

Now she sat in her bed alone, stared at the last photo they took together. It was when Esmelerda won the national teenage poetry competition. She always said that she admired her abundant vocabularies. She always looked at her with her ocean eyes while she played the piano. She was always the fan-like little sister. They all called her 'Esmelerda Roth's sister'.

But Caroline was unique herself. She did well in sports, in all other things; she was just not as unique as Esmelerda. Among the two twins, only Esmelerda inherited Raven's powers.

Caroline was as normal as any teenager. At least to Esmelerda she was unique. She and Raven was all she had in the world.

She placed her fist on the wall. Then her mind played back.

(Flashback)

Esmelerda walked at the school corridor, dressed in a black dress, fishnet gloves and tights; a huge, mount studded black leather belt hanged onto her waist. She kicked the ground with her leather boots. She stared at the end of the corridor, where seemed to be a ray of light. Everyone on the corridor stared at her, while she ignored them. On her hair, she pinned a white rose. She could hear the people saying. "That is the girl whose sister is killed by the car…", "That is so awful…"…the noise filled her ears. She really wanted to turn around and beat them to a pulp. I don't nee anyone to pity me, she thought. Then suddenly she felt a light tap on her shoulder. "Hello, Esme." She heard the school counselor's voice. "I am Jenna, the school counselor." Esmelerda glared at her for a second. "I prefer you call me Esmelerda," she said. "What do you want?" Jenna smiled at her. "I wanted to invite you to talk with me for a while." Then Jenna walked Esmelerda to a bench. Both of them sat onto the bench. "Spit it out." She demanded. "Well, I know that…your sister…" She then paused and saw Esmelerda glaring at her. "Stop it." She said coldly. "But Esmelerda, time can erase everything." That was the time that Esmelerda felt like her heart was being engulfed by the fumes and flames of rage, she leapt from the bench. "Time can erase everything? She was my twin sister! Who the fuck gave you the permission to tell me to live on my life? Do you understand how it feels to lose the most identical thing, the most precious thing you ever possessed in the world? No you don't! You are just some fucking social worker who thinks that you understand what I feel! Fuck off you bitch!" Then she stormed away and walked into her classroom.

Fifteen minutes later she ended up in the principal's office. Jenna was crying next to the principal. The principal frowned at her. "Esmelerda, I hope you realize what you have just done was not correct." He said to her. "Apologize to Jenna; I think she will forgive you." Esmelerda spat onto the carpet. "Screw you, bald ass." She said with a sneer. The principal's face turned red in rage. "I will expel you from the school Esmelerda Roth! I demand an apology to myself and Miss Green here!" Esmelerda stood up and leaned forward. "I am sorry, that you two were even born." Then she walked outside.

(Flashback ends)

Caroline was special, she was not something that time could erase. She was her sister, not even the devil or God himself could snatch the memories of her away. Caroline's soul lived on, in her mind. Her eyes closed, and slowly she fell asleep.

It was raining cats and dogs. Robin and Starfire sat impatiently as the majestic grandfather clock went 'tik, tok, tik, tok,', Starfire was staring at the door anxiously. Robin was flipping a file impatiently. Suddenly the clock bellowed twelve times and then Raven appeared in front of them. "Oh friend Raven, I am glad that you have arrived." Starfire beamed at her. She stared coldly for a second. "Where is this little girl of yours?" Robin immediately led the way. Raven saw the little girl on her bed, she took out some simple apparatus and began to check. The couple watched anxiously. Then finally, Raven packed up and turned to them. "I think you should send her to the hospital, at the earliest time possible." She said to them. "I suspect she is having a kind of congenital heart disease that is undetected during infancy." Robin then took hold of Raven's shoulders. "Please Rae, please save her. She is the only daughter I have got." Raven stared at him coldly and got loose. "I will do what I can do." She teleported and disappeared in front of their eyes. They were silent for a minute, then Starfire spoke. "She would save Amelia right, Robin?" Starfire stared at her husband, who was still staring at the spot where Raven was a minute ago. "Hopefully, Star." Maybe he was grasping at a ray of light of hope when he grabbed Raven's shoulders, or it might be a monstrous thing.

The future remains unclear.

Like the gray dark skies of the rainy cold night.

Author's note:

Wow it has been a while since I typed my last teen titans story.

Well this is the new one, please enjoy.

V.S.V


	2. Chapter 2

Raven walked slowly back into her apartment, and saw her daughter sitting on the couch. "I thought you should be sleeping," said Raven, who sat next to her. Esmelerda stared at her mother. "Nothing, I just can't sleep." Esmelerda shook her head. "I always saw Caroline in front of me." Raven placed her hand onto her shoulder. "How's your case?" She asked, her eyes gleaming. "It was the daughter of my…old friend." Raven bit her lip. "She probably had some sort of congenital heart disease, which was undetected. She seemed really pale."

Esmelerda stared and smirked. "What kind of dumb parents are they?" Raven smiled. "No idea. You should really go to bed." Esmelerda stood up and walked back into her room.

Raven stared at her disappearing shadow. Her heart ached. How could she do such a devilish thing to her, to lie to her about her father?

For fifteen years, Esmelerda thought that her father was killed in a car crash. The truth was that her father was still alive, unknowing of his other daughter's presence.

Raven could not tell her daughter that she was the creation of a sin, committed by her father, suffered by her mother.

It was all because of that stormy night, fifteen years ago.

A stroke of lightning slashed through the pitch black sky. Raven was tossing and turning on her bed, her eyes stared at the wall. No she could not sleep, when she heard the noisy arguing of Starfire and Robin; No she could not bear the irritating moaning of Terra and grunting of Beast Boy; No she could not stand the piercing screech of Cyborg's horror video games. She could not stand anything, nothing.

Suddenly she heard a large bang, and sat up onto her bed. The arguing sound stopped, ended with a clean slap. Then she heard heavy swearing by Robin which then stopped for a while, when the swearing turned into nonsense. Then someone opened the door of her room. It was Robin, covered with the stench of alcohol. "It is illegal to drink alcohol or to break into someone's room." She frowned and said to him. He smiled, and slurred a few words. Raven stared at him impatiently. He placed his beer bottle onto the dresser. "I really love Starfire, you know?" He smiled at her and said, taking a seat on her bed. "I don't care; I want to sleep." Raven replied in a monotone. Then Robin's tone turned into a really angry tone. "But she was dating Speedy as well! That bitch!" Raven took a gulp, and tried to walk away from Robin. Then suddenly he pulled onto her wrist and threw her onto the bed. 'Fine! If she cheats on me, I will cheat on her as well!" He pressed Raven onto her bed, Raven's eyes flashed back, when suddenly a piercing pain numbed her. Robin bit her on the neck, she felt powerless. He was controlled by his anger and continued. Raven could not do anything, but to try everything she could to stop him. But alcohol plus anger outmatched Raven. He grasped onto her wrist so hard she began to yelp in pain. Suddenly she felt that her clothes were ripped off, she screamed in surprise, no one heard her. He began to kiss her roughly. She tried to kick him, but it was no use, she could not do anything to resist him. He seemed to be possessed that he was ever so powerful. Suddenly a searing pain happened in between her legs. He was grunting, pushing fro and back into her. She began to cry, as the pain ripped her heart apart. Then when he was finished, he walked out of the room stumbling, as if nothing had happened. Raven could only sat there and cry. She did not want anyone to know, not even Robin himself. He was drunk, she told herself. He was so drunk that he rapped you. But she couldn't hold back her own tears. She could not tell Starfire about this. No one shall ever know about this, no one. Then she decided that perhaps leaving was the best option for everyone. She crashed her titans caller and grabbed her few possessions. Then she teleported away.

"Mum, mum!" Esmelerda shook Raven awake. 'What…oh Esme," Raven looked at her daughter. Esmelerda eyed her suspiciously. "You have afternoon shift today remember?" Esmelerda said to her mother. "I am going to school now, breakfast is on the table. Bye." She left the apartment. Raven rubbed her forehead. She looked at her appointment book.

It's another day, she thought to herself. Then she ate her breakfast hastily and got changed. She walked to the hospital slowly. In five minutes she was in her office, reading one of her huge reference books. A knock on her door interrupted her. "Dr. Roth, there is a Mr. and Mrs. Grayson here." Raven rolled her eyes. "Let them in." She said. Then the door flung open. Starfire came in almost crying. Robin was holding her in his arms. "Hey Raven." Raven did not greet them warmly. "That should be Dr. Roth." She spat coldly. "What do you want?"

"Have you discovered what is wrong with Amelia?" Robin stood up, pressing his hands on her desk. "I need to run a detailed check in order to be certain, I suggest, no I require her to be admitted into the hospital." She blinked. "It is a must. We will send an ambulance to pick her up, she should be able to start the check within an hour. Now would you excuse me, I have to take a stroll at the wards." She then walked straight out of her office. "This is not Raven that I have known," said Robin. "She is totally different. I want to go out for a while, Star, I need to be alone for a moment." He walked outside, he lowered his head and walked out of the hospital. He walked aimlessly at the sidewalk then suddenly he bumped into someone. "Watch it," he heard a familiar voice. "Raven?" He looked up, only that she saw a girl staring at her with her single revealed dark violet eye. "Wacko," then she strolled off, walking towards the hospital. He shook his head and looked again, that girl's shadow was exactly like Raven. One second he thought that he saw two shadows behind her, but then that vision vanished. He took a turn and walked back to the hospital. Starfire was walking impatiently outside the Computerized Tomogram scanning room. Her face was worried sick. "Robin, Amelia had been in that room for half an hour already," she took his hand, and then they sat down, staring at the clock as its hands moved. Time seemed to slow down. Robin was still troubled. Then suddenly Raven walked out of the room. "Please come to my office." She said, then she stormed away. Robin stared at her in her white doctor's coat. It was like when she wore her white robe, her shadow seemed flawless. He stood up and walked with Starfire, they opened her door. She was sitting in her office chair, her face was emotionless. "I have finished the check." She said coldly. "It appears that she has ventricular septal defect." Robin and Starfire's mouth opened wide. "That is…?"

Raven's lip turned thin, then she took a deep breath. "That is due to a defect of the ventricular septum, the wall dividing the two ventricles of the heart. The cause of this defect is unknown. Blood from the left ventricle leaks into the right ventricle, then passes through the lungs and reenters the left ventricle, through the pulmonary vein and left atrium." She then sighed and took a sip from her cup of coffee. "Due to the circuitous refluxing of blood, there will be a volume overload on the left ventricle. And the elevation of pressure and volume of the right ventricle, might lead the pulmonary hypertension."

Starfire's face went pale. "Is Amelia's situation serious now?" She grabbed Raven's hand. 'Please tell me that you could save her, Raven, please!" She began to cry. Raven withdrew her hand from Starfire's grasp. "All I could say is that, there might be a high possibility that she will require a heart transplant, as the ventricular septal defect slowly becoming heart failure."

"A heart transplant? But will that be highly risky?" Robin asked.

"That is your only hope," replied Raven. "I will try to look for a suitable heart, starting from the death row inmates." She began to look at her computer. "If I am you, I will go and see that girl right now. Go." Robin suddenly turned and spat hastily. "I don't need you to teach me what to do to comfort a child; I am a father of two." Then he stormed out of the room, pulling Starfire with him. Raven smiled coldly and said quietly to herself, almost like a whisper. "No Boy Blunder, you were a father of four, now three." Then a knock interrupted her thoughts. "Come in," she said, Esmelerda stepped inside. "Those faggots in school are trying bug the living shit out of me." She spat as she sat on the armchair. "They asked me how I feel about losing Caroline. Guess what I replied?" Raven shook her head and smiled. "I said to that stupid social worker, 'Try go home and chop you mother into two million pieces, that's how I feel, faggot.' Seriously, I have no idea how stupid that bitch could be." Raven shook her head again. "Esme, she was only trying to help you," she said sighing. "You haven't went to Dr. Slater's clinic didn't you? He was anxious about that."

"Don't have to, I am not sick." Esmelerda replied with a smug smile. "Dr. Slater deals with those mentally ill retards. I am definitely not one of them."

"But you need counseling, Esme." Raven said to her daughter. "I know that the death of Caroline has been a heavy blow on our family, but you can't live under that shadow all the time, Esme, you need to live on."

Esmelerda didn't speak for a while. She walked towards the book shelf. "Say, I really hate cars," she said. "My father was killed by a car, so was my sister. I fucking hate those people who killed them; I fucking hate those who stare." Then she smiled coldly. "I should go now. Got homework." Then she walked out without turning around. Raven buried her face into her hands. Esmelerda was always mentally unstable, as the hatred engulfed her mind. The unstableness of her mental state intensifies ever since Caroline was killed. She went out every night, and each time Raven tried to enter her room, there was a certain lock that blocked her.

Sometimes, it seemed just like herself some years ago.

Then suddenly her computer had a alerting sound, a beep, indicating there was a match found. She raised her head and looked.

"No." She whispered, as all colors rushed down from her grey face. "This couldn't be happening."

On the screen it wrote:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amelia Kory Grayson

Ventricular septal defect

Heart Defect

Require Heart Transplant

Match Donor:

Caroline Arella Roth

Car crash victim

Consent of family: required

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Author's note:

Well that is predictable isn't it, anyway please read and review!

I treat reviews seriously!(I know it is kind of short, do forgive me)

V.S.V

13-3-11


	3. Chapter 3

Raven sat there emotionlessly, she did not even move a muscle when her secretary Monica came in. She waved her hand in front of her face. "Dr. Roth? You have a surgery in one hour's time." She said and repeated. Raven shook her head. "Monica, ask Dr. Hamilton to handle that for me, say I will treat him lunch." She rubbed her forehead. "My current state is absolutely unsuitable for conducting an operation." Monica shrugged her shoulders and went out of the office. "I would be lucky if I don't kill anyone today." She smiled to herself painfully.

Raven made herself a cup of coffee. How could she face Esmelerda? How could she tell her that her sister's heart will be given to someone who was her father's other daughter, after her sister's sudden death merely two weeks ago? Then she paused. Esmelerda did not know that Robin was her father. Then she gasped in both relief and worry. She is a doctor, she is supposed to save the lives of people, yet she did not want to save Amelia, Robin and Starfire's token of love. She could not resist the thought of crushing the crystal of their love reaction and look into the horror of their faces. But yet she is a doctor, supposed to save anyone's life-even if that is your worst enemy. He stomach twisted and turned. She must not let Esmelerda knew about this, for she would definitely oppose the idea of giving someone Caroline's heart. She had no idea what Esmelerda would do.

She sighed again, walking in her office restlessly. She then checked again, there must be another match she thought, however there was none, but Caroline, Caroline only.

She felt helpless, the two sides, hatred and the responsibility of a doctor were tearing her apart. She buried her face into her hands. She thought she would lose her sanity, yet time seemed to stand still. "Hey, " Dr. Hamilton walked inside and smiled. "Say you were going to treat me lunch?" He was a mere rookie in cardiology, talented but a rookie. "Yeah, I was kind of having a dilemma," she replied with a faint smile. "Anyway, let's just go and get some lunch in the cafeteria, order anything you like 'cause I am paying."

Robin was eating his lunch in his office. His eyes scanned through the documents. "How was that construction project going Shirley?" He asked his secretary. She looked up at him through her thick glasses. "It was confirmed last week." She replied and turned to work again. "And your wife said that a…Doctor Roth was looking for you." Robin looked up at her. "When?" He asked. "She asked you to…go to the Saint Matthew's Private Hospital, as soon as possible." He then walked outside without another word, straight towards his car. "Davis," he shook the driver awake. "To the hospital, now." Then he sat into his seat. The driver started the car. "As fast as possible, Davis." He emphasized. "Aye, sir. " Then he drove as fast as he could. Soon they reached the hospital and he ran to Raven's office. "What is that you wanted to tell me?" Then he stared at Raven, she was not wearing her doctor's attire. She was dressed in her robe and leotard, which she once wore. "I wish to tell you something, some good news and some bad." She said in a monotone. With a swift wave of her hand, the door was locked. An armchair was swiped towards Robin and he was seated. "Well?" Robin said, confused. She stared at him under her hood, those dark violet eyes flashing. "Would you like some good news or some bad news first?" She said. "Good news would be great, haven't had those in a long time." He said, still staring straight at her. "I have found a matching heart for your daughter." She said coldly. Robin shot up from his chair and grabbed Raven by her shoulders. "Really?" He nearly shouted in excitement. "Is it true?" He looked at her with an innocent look on his face. "That means she is saved, right?" Raven nodded. "Yes, however there is some bad news for you." She said and took a deep breath. "You won't be able to get that heart." She said coldly, all colors on Robin's face washed off, his face was in a pale white color. "What?" He stared at her. "Why?" Then Raven shook her head. "Why, that heart belongs to me." She sneered at him with a cold laughter. "And you are not getting it, Boy Blunder." Robin looked at her. "Your heart? But donors are supposed to be dead…and why Amelia would have any connection with…?" Raven laughed coldly and sighed. "You don't get the whole story do you?" She sat on the armchair. "You see, one of my twin daughters, Caroline was dead, she was killed in a car crash. And that her heart is a match with Amelia's…a perfect match." Then she said sadly. "However, this would not be possible… My twin daughters would not able to be born in this world…if ….if I wasn't raped…by you." Then she glared at him. "And organ transplants must be agreed by the donor's family." She gave her a haughty smile. "So you are not getting it. You can't even sue me for it, because you are not Caroline's family. Likewise, my other daughter, Esmelerda would never agree to give away her sister's heart. Even if I replaced your daughter's heart with Caroline's, she would definitely come and get it back." She smiled with a conceited look. "Now, what would you do?"

Robin's mouth opened in both shock and horror. He was overwhelmed by the facts. "But…but," he was astonished. "You are a doctor, and you are suppose to save her life. You are supposed to save Amelia." He repeated and repeated. "You are supposed, to save Amelia." He began to laugh frantically. She replied with a cold laugh. "I am also a mother, if that escaped your mind. And I am not some sort of sweet lady that will give away something that belonged to my precious daughter to some horrid being created by the person I hate the most, in the world." She smiled again. "I would be damned if I do so."

Then suddenly his rage became overwhelming. "You heartless, cold-blooded monster!" He roared. "Do you know how helpless it is to stare at your child, suffering while lying on her deathbed? Do you?" He seized her by the shoulders and shook her violently. She thrust him away. "I don't understand? I don't understand? My child was crushed so badly by that car I could barely recognized her when she was rushed into the emergencies ward! All I could do is stare at her with eyes hollowed with grief and horror, while she dangled on that operation table in agony. All I could do is to tell her sister that I was sorry. All I could do…is do nothing. Do you understand what kind of things I have been through? I bet you don't." She screeched. "Get out, GET OUT!" Her eyes flashed white, and he was shoved out of the room. "Raven, RAVEN LET ME IN!" He banged and kicked the door. Raven's secretary called security, and two tall men came and wrestled him out.

"What do you mean by that, Robin?" Starfire said shaking her head. "Surely Raven would help us, she is our friend." Robin suddenly swept everything on the table onto the floor. "Starfire, RAVEN IS NOT OUR FRIEND, YOUR HEAR ME?" He shouted. Starfire was in tears. Never had she saw Robin consumed by his rage. She could see that rage and agony were eroding his soul, chomping their way through his spirits and sanity. "SHE IS NOT SAVING AMELIA, YOU HEAR ME?" He laughed wildly. "Amelia is going to die! Don't you understand! That match was a freaking one in ten million!" Then he sank onto his knees and cried. "It was her perfect match, but…but." He concealed his face with his hands. "How could she? How could she?"

Starfire embraced her husband. Tears covered her face. "Surely we would find a way out." Then she buried her face onto his shoulder. "We must."

"So, you are back mother." Esmelerda smiled to her faintly. Raven did not smile back. "Esme, there is something really important, that I have to tell you. Something that will change your world, Esme." Raven said in a grave voice. "Are you ready for this, dear?" Esmelerda felt that her mother was serious. "I am, mother."

"Now, remember that I told you that your father was killed in a car crash?" Esmelerda nodded. "Well, I lied to you, Esme." Esmelerda's eyes widened, her pupils extended to its maximum. "What?" she uttered a sound.

"Your father is still alive." Raven said sadly. "He married another woman and has two children with her, a daughter and a son. I was never married to him." Then she looked away from Esmelerda's eyes. "There are certain things that people refused to talk about. However, I have to tell you." Raven bit her lip. "I was rapped by him."

"WHAT?" She yelled immediately. "How could he? How could he! I shall kill him with my own hands!"

"Stop now!" Raven ordered. "I was not finished." Esmelerda managed to pull herself together and continued to listen.

"However, this daughter of theirs, was having a certain condition, concerning…her heart." She said. "And this girl is in dire need of a heart transplant."

Esmelerda stood up and laughed in a disdainful manner. "You are not going to tell me that the only match is Caroline, right?"

Raven nodded. Esmelerda's laughter turned into a wild cry. "How could this world be so cruel? How could this ever happen! God! You son of a bitch!" She screamed. "After all that Caroline had done for you mother…"

"What did Caroline done for me?" Raven snapped. Esmelerda's face suddenly turned pale. "I shouldn't have let it slipped. I shouldn't. I shouldn't!" Then she screamed and began to smash everything around her. Raven grabbed her arm and held her down. "Esme! Tell me! Tell me what happened! You must know something!" Esmelerda began to cry. "Do you not know, mother? Have she not left you a letter?"

"What letter?" She asked. "What letter?"

"So she hadn't told you?" Esmelerda cried. "She hadn't told you anything? She knew all along! She knew that you are dying, we all knew!" Esmelerda began to cry so hard she could barely talk. "Caroline…deliberately killed herself, so that her organs can be donated to you, do you not know?"

Lightning slashed the dark sky into two halves. Thunder roared like a massive lion. Rain stabbed into the glass like countless silver needles.

Raven stared, her eyes hollowed; her face pale white in horror. "What did you just say?"

"Caroline killed herself. She wishes to save you."

Another sound of thunder echoed.

Another lightning ripped the sky in two.

Raven heard a cracking sound in her mind. She thought that she heard her heart break, shattered into pieces.

Everything seemed to be veiled in darkness.

Author's note:

Well it has been a long time since I have updated…

I know this sucks, but please enjoy.

Read and Review!

V.S.V


	4. Chapter 4

"You aren't supposed to know, I made sure that all those reports are destroyed." Raven's face was pale as a sheet of paper, her eyes stared at the ground. Esmelerda was choking with tears, as her eyes flashed white. A black hand emerged from the tea table, and placed a stack of half burnt documents in front of Raven. " I saw them burning," she said quietly. "Mother, I can't believe that you know all along that you were dying and you didn't even planned to tell us, how could you?" Her voice was filled with hurt.

Raven sank into her armchair. "I knew all along, it would be hard for you to understand. I will now try to explain," she said, signaling Esmelerda to sit beside her. Esmelerda wiped her tears with her sleeve then sat next to her mother. "My father, Trigon, was a demon." She said slowly. "Half of my blood is demonic, and demons were required to do harm to the world, destruction and death. I... lived my life as a nobody, until I joined the Teen Titans, and saved Jump City numerous times." She said. "Do you understand what it meant here?"  
She held Esmelerda's hands in her own. "I am dying, because I have done too much good," she said.

"By acting as a teenage hero, then a doctor that saved lives, I have done too much good and it is now destroying me from within. I am inches away from subcutaneous combustion, and then my soul shall wander, never to rest in peace." Esmelerda shook her head wildly. "This shouldn't happen to you mother, you don't deserve to suffer like this." She said.  
"This is fate, Esme." Raven said, her heart ached. "And I do think that if Caroline believed that her death could be my salvation, then she had died in vain."

Esmelerda sniffed, then stood up. "You are going to save that girl aren't you? Then die in pain and agony?" Her eyes filled with hurt and tears as she said each word one by one. Raven paused and then nodded sternly. "Yes, Esme, I will save Amelia." She hugged Esmelerda. "Its late now, you should go to bed." Then she kissed her on her forehead.

Robin walked into the individual ward where Amelia was staying. He looked at the fragile little girl, attached to numerous machines. His heart ached. He hated to see his daugther suffering like this. Then suddenly, Raven stormed in, completely ignoring the presence of Robin. "Bethany, how had the patient responded to the tests? And had she been given immunosupressant pills?" She said, checking Amelia's vital signs. "Yes Doctor, she had given us positive responses," the nurse replied. "Good," then she turned to Robin. "And where is Mrs. Grayson?" She asked. "I would need you to sign the operation agreement before I could do anything."

Robin looked at her, his emotions unstable. "On one hand I am glad that you would save Amelia, but then on the other hand, after I signed the agreement, I had no control over what you would do, and you won't have to bear any responsibility if Amelia died and you proved yourself to be uninvolved in her death. What if you killed her and I cannot prove that you kill her?" He said, his face pale. Raven looked at him with her violet eyes. "Then you would have to trust me, for I am a professional, I am the only who can save her," she said. "For I am your only hope."

Robin looked at her for a second. Then he tucked his hand into his pocket and took out a pen. "I depend on you now." Raven smiled. "Sure, no problem." Then Raven talked to the nurse. "Send her in as soon as possible." Then she left to prepare for the surgery. She went straight to where Caroline's heart was kept.

Caroline's heart had been removed from her body and was attached to the Organ Care System, a recently developed system where the heart was allowed to pump warm oxygenated heart and was kept at body temperature. A rich hospital like St. Matthew's could afford to have such systems. The Graysons were lucky, thought Raven. "How's the heart?" She asked the staff. " We have inspected the heart. The heart is at a good condition, ready for transplant." Raven nodded in reply. "Transport it to the operation room as soon as you can." Then she went to the preparation room. She tied her violet hair into a bun then caught it in a surgical cap. She put on the blue surgical robe, the smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils. She washed her hands thoroughly then put on a pair of surgical gloves. She then looked at herself at the mirror. The gem at the center of her forehead used to shine like a red star, now its glow was fading, glowing faintly like a dying star. She smiled to herself and put on her surgical mask. "If this is going to be my last, let it end in a perfect fullstop." She thought to herself, then she entered the operation room.

"Doctor, the heart-lung machine is prepared." Raven nodded. "Have you gone over the checklist?" She said to the assisting surgeon. "Yes," he said, a drop of sweat rolling down his covered face. "You feel hot, or nervous?" Then she laughed a little. "Don't be." He nodded hastily. "The donor heart is here, and the patient has been given a general anaesthetic. We are now ready." Then Raven turned to Amelia, who was lying on the operation theatre, sleeping peacefully with her face covered by an oxygen mask, and her body connected to. Then she used a marker to mark on Amelia's chest, then she used a scapel to make a vertical incision along her sternum. Her wound revealed the sternum, Raven switched to a sternal saw to divide the sternum, the mediastinum was exposed. Then she cut open Amelia's pericardium, revealing her heart, pumping weakly. "Dr. Hamilton, dissect the aorta and the other vessels, then attach her to a cardiopulmonary bypass." Raven walked to the living organ system, and stared. Inside was a pumping heart, slowly pumping. Raven touched the container, as if she was touching Caroline's dark hair, her flawless face. "Goodbye," she whispered.

Then she turned around, Amelia lied on the operation theatre. Raven returned to her side. She transacted her vessels precisely, and gently removed her heart, placing it in an alloy tray, packed with ice. The nurse had the donor heart in her hands, already trimmed to fit what was left of Amelia's left atrium. Then Raven swiftly suture the vessels of Amelia with Caroline's heart.

After the stiching, Raven stood back. Dr. Hamilton held a device in his hand, and tried to restart the heart. Raven stared at the sleeping Amelia. Images of Caroline began overlapping with her, Raven felt a pounding headache. She nearly collapsed onto the ground. The nurse quickly helped her on her feet. "Dr. Roth, you sure that..." Raven stopped the nurse.  
"I am fine," said Raven, her eyes stern with determination. "I must finish what I have started."

She walked towards Amelia, whose new heart was beating now. Dr. Hamilton had weaned her from the cardiopulmonary bypass. Raven gently suture the pericardium and closed the chest cavity. "Send her to ICU." Then she went to remove her surgical gear, all stained with warm blood. She washed her face, her head was still pounding. She stared at her gem, the glow was faint, she stumbled out of the operation room.

"How was she, Raven?" Starfire held Raven's hand. Raven smiled. "She is now sent to the ICU, and will wake up soon. It is a successful transplant." Starfire was overjoyed. She hugged Raven. "Thank you," she said repeatedly. "Thank you." Raven smiled as Starfire released her from a long embrace. Robin looked at Raven and smiled. "I am sorry for whatever I have done to you," he said, with a trembling voice. "But, thank you." Raven smiled at the couple, now embracing each other in joy. She walked away towards her office, then she collapsed onto the ground.

She laid on the ground like a wounded bird, the gem on her forehand was dim, almost dark.  
The red was dull, like the dying sun.  
'When there is life, death is certain.' A voice chanted in her ear. 'When light fills the demon's heart, it shall perish in flames.'  
Raven slowly closed her eyes, everything turned darker.  
The last thing she could hear was Esmelerda, calling at her, screaming her name.  
She took another look at her daughter, her black hair, her violet eyes. She smiled.  
"Remember I always love you." She whispered, then she closed her eyes.  
Everything went dark.

Author's note:

Well it has been a very long time since I have updated this story, and this will be the second last chapter. Hope that you guys would enjoy this. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.

V.S.V


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